Goldie
by Saun
Summary: Haruka and Hotaru: Haruka-papa and Hotaru have a day together


Goldie  
by Saun michiru_loves_haruka_forever@hotmail.com  
Rated:G  
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon & Company do not belong to me. I just   
borrowed them for a bit.  
Haruka stood in the middle of the mall. She looked for   
Hotaru who had disappeared into the music store. She was glad   
to be able to spend the day with her daughter. They had gone   
out for lunch and then to a movie. Although they did many   
things as a family, she wanted some quality father-daughter   
time for a change. Children needed to feel special and loved.   
Hotaru deserved to feel special and loved all the time.  
  
Hotaru bounced up with a bag from the CD store and the   
two continued on their way. They went into the pet store   
together. Hotaru stuck a finger into the kitten cage and teased   
the little black and white kittens. As they playfully nipped at   
her finger, the girl shrieked with laughter. Haruka went over   
to the birdcages and admired the animals that had the gift of   
flight. A cockatiel cocked its head at her and seemed to watch   
her intently.   
  
"Pretty bird," Haruka said, while stroking the cage,   
trying to coax the animal to talk to her.  
  
"Don't let Michiru-mama hear you say that," Hotaru   
teased, coming up behind her.  
  
Haruka grinned at the thought. "Yes, we wouldn't   
want your mama to get her feathers ruffled."  
  
Hotaru laughed and grabbed her papa's hand to pull her   
over to the reptiles. They made faces at the iguana and   
shuddered at the tarantula. Eventually they found themselves   
near the aquariums. Haruka walked further in, looking at the   
assortment of tiny aquatic animals. Hotaru followed, but the   
look of happiness she had for most of the afternoon left her.  
  
Haruka stopped and turned to look at her daughter.   
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I had a fish once." The little girl's brow was furrowed   
as she struggled with the memory. "Before," she said simply.  
  
Haruka understood that "before" referred to the time   
before Hotaru's rebirth, and she nodded understandingly. "What   
happened to it? Did it die?"  
  
Hotaru nodded, then she shook her head. "She killed   
it... I killed it." She looked up, her eyes full of tears and   
her little frame shaking with unexpressed emotion.   
  
Haruka was stricken and horrified, but she kept her   
face impassive. She reached out and touched a soft, smooth   
cheek. "Hotaru, do you know the best way to take the power   
out of a bad memory?"  
  
The dark haired little girl shook her head.  
  
Haruka knelt down to her daughter's level. "The best   
way is to replace it with a good one. Do you want to get a   
fish? It would be a gift from me."  
  
"What about Michiru-mama, she already has a fish   
tank ...?"  
  
"Don't worry about Michiru-mama or Setsuna-mama for   
that matter. I'll take care of it. It's just a matter of what   
you want. This would be your fish to keep in your room."  
  
Hotaru gazed at her papa, her eyes showing trust,   
hope, and love.  
  
Haruka felt a pain in her chest as she looked into   
Hotaru's wide purple eyes. This child deserved as much   
happiness as she could take. She had been through so much.   
Haruka knew she was responsible for part of that pain. Once   
upon a time Haruka had wanted her dead, but Mistress Nine   
had been defeated. Her gateway into Tomoe Hotaru's soul   
obliterated. But when they fought Galaxia, she had done the   
unthinkable and executed her own child. Never mind that it   
had been for duty, Haruka would always carry the burden of   
that guilt deep inside, as would Michiru. Hotaru had forgiven   
them. As the holder of the awesome responsibility of being   
Sailor Saturn, she understood duty over all else. She always   
stood ready to sacrifice her own life. Haruka had discovered   
that she would only find true peace when she forgave herself.  
  
Five minutes later they were busy finding the perfect   
purple rocks and procuring a sizable fish bowl. The hardest   
part was picking the perfect fish. Hotaru inspected each one   
carefully. Haruka smiled as she watched the little girl's face   
scrunch with concentration as she pondered each fish.  
  
Finally she pointed to a sleek black gold fish.   
  
"That one!" she cried excitedly.   
  
The clerk looked relieved and quickly got a bag and   
poured water from the tank into it, before attempting to catch   
the fish. The little black target zoomed around the tank   
constantly avoiding capture. One moment it was hiding in the   
plant, the next it was darting from side to side. The embarrassed   
clerk was getting flustered and finally turned to Hotaru.   
  
"Are you sure there isn't another one you might want?" he   
asked the little girl. Hotaru looked pleadingly at her Papa.   
Haruka stepped up.   
  
"Let me try," she said softly.  
  
The clerk nodded and stepped away. With lightening quick   
reflexes Haruka scooped up the hyperactive fish and plopped it   
into the waiting bag. She stepped back and smiled as the clerk   
tied a knot in the bag. Hotaru could barely contain her excitement.  
  
They stopped for ice cream on the way out of the mall.   
Haruka balanced the bundles containing fish food and little   
plastic plants under one arm. She was used to carrying all of   
Michiru's packages, so it was second nature to her. Hotaru happily   
cradled the fish in one arm and held her cone with the other. Haruka   
drove home slowly, every now and again sneaking a glance at   
Hotaru's beaming face.  
  
"We're home!" Hotaru called, anxious to show off her   
new pet.   
  
"Did you have a nice time?" Setsuna asked, coming in   
from the kitchen.  
  
Hotaru was beaming. "Hai, Setsuna-mama." Her head   
dropped back on her shoulders and she looked back and up at   
Haruka, "Arrigatou, Haruka-papa." Haruka reached out and   
affectionately ruffled Hotaru's hair. "Where's Michiru-mama?"  
  
"Coming," Michiru replied, as she approached from   
her studio.  
  
When Michiru arrived, Hotaru held her bag aloft for   
her mamas inspection.   
  
"Oh my, you have a fish!" Michiru exclaimed.   
  
"Haruka-papa bought it for me!" Hotaru's excitement   
was evident.  
  
"What's its name?" Michiru asked lovingly.  
  
"Goldie!" her daughter answered.  
  
The fish didn't look very golden, but Hotaru probably   
had a reason behind the name.  
  
Her blue eyes met Haruka's and silent communication   
passed between them. Haruka got lost in her beautiful love's   
smiling face for a moment and then she winked.  
  
Haruka and Setsuna unpacked the supplies. Michiru   
took the fishbowl from them and went to rinse it out. While   
waiting for her return, Setsuna played with the rocks and   
Haruka read fish care instructions to Hotaru.  
  
Michiru and Setsuna rearranged Hotaru's lamp   
collection to make room for the bowl. They set the bag in the   
fresh water and Hotaru counted the seconds on her watch, until   
they could cut the bag and let her new friend into his home.   
The entire family watched as the fish spilled out into the bowl   
and swam around inspecting his domain. Michiru delivered a stern   
warning about the dangers to fish with too many lamps heating   
the water temperature. Hotaru nodded, paying careful attention.   
When Setsuna mentioned the time, Haruka was stunned at how   
quickly the day had flown.  
  
She knocked gingerly on the door.   
  
"Come in," a sweet little voice called.   
  
The blonde opened the door and stepped in. Every light   
in Hotaru's room was on and the combined light was considerable.   
However, the lamps nearest the fish were dimmed. The small animal   
swam around in his bowl and was easily visible from Hotaru's bed.   
Haruka could see that her daughter was tired, but her little purple   
eyes were still wide with excitement. She sat down on the edge of   
the bed and put her arm around Hotaru's small shoulders. The   
younger girl was ready to go to sleep, but her joy in her new pet   
wouldn't allow her to relax. Haruka put her feet up on the bed and   
they sat for a while watching the fish swim in wide circles in the   
bowl. Haruka felt her body relax as she leaned back against the   
headboard. Hotaru was snuggled against her side and the girl's   
breathing was even and deep. Haruka knew that she was probably   
asleep, but the blonde couldn't bring herself to move just yet. She   
should really get up and go to her own bed...  
  
About an hour later, Michiru opened the door to Hotaru's   
room. She had been searching for her lover. She laughed softly at   
the sight of Haruka and Hotaru fast asleep side by side. Setsuna   
came down the hall behind her.  
  
"Look," Michiru whispered.  
  
Setsuna looked in and grinned. "They're so cute."  
  
"Yes, they are."  
  
"Need any help?"  
  
"No. I'll just get the lights."  
  
"Sleep well, Michiru."  
  
"Goodnight, Setsuna."  
  
Michiru stood still until she heard the door down   
the hallway close. Pulling herself away from the kawaii sight,   
she crept into Hotaru's room. She picked up Hotaru's purple throw   
and covered her lover's sleeping form. Haruka stirred lightly in   
her sleep. Her blonde hair was ruffled and she looked like a   
child. Michiru smiled gently and kissed both of her babies on the   
forehead. She turned off every light and closed the door behind her.  
Finis  
  
Author's notes: O_o I think I am obsessed with sleeping. Maybe   
that's because I don't get any ^-^. Oh well, I saw the   
flashback of Hotaru's pet fish in S and I couldn't get  
it out of my head, so I wrote this little ficcy. Please  
give me feedback. I am working on a sequel to Wishes, it's  
looking yummy so bear with me! ja ne, minna ^_~  
Thank you Kate for fixing this it looks great *HUGS*  
  
  
  



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